Chapter 10: Public Education in the United States

U.S. public schools – intro

A. Children (must att) to age 16 or gr 9
B. fr K/1st (age 5/6) to 12th gr (18) = “K through 12”
C. 90% stud in pub. sch; sm no. priv sch.
+ priv: relig or secular; pub: secular
D. No national curric or exams
+ Fed gov. fund special prog
a. education for the handicapped
b. bilingual education
Control of edu by indiv states (today)
I. 3 levels of contrl w/i a state
II. How edu funded
III. Issues + efforts (st & nat) to fix

I. Three Levels of Control w/n States

A. Sta Dept of Edu
1. Responsibilities
a. Sets curriculum requirem’ts
b. Sets the number of credits a student must complete
B. School district
1. Numbers depend on the size of the state & its population
2. School board is elected or appointed
3. Responsibilities
a. Specific content of course
i. required courses
ii. choice of electives
b. hires teacher & admin
C. The school
1. Teachers’ responsibilities
a. how to teach each course
b. preparing & giving classroom examinations
II. How Edu Is Funded
Pub sch funded by:
+ fed gov’t
+ state & local taxes (E.g. 2010: 12 % from fed gov’t, 43% fr
states, 44% fr local communities)
III. Edu Issues + Efforts to Fix
A. Issues:
1. inequality of educational opportunity pub sch funded mainly fr local taxes  chil in
poorer areas not
receive as gd edu as wealthier areas
2. private schools  stud’s par pay tuition. Par may wonder why have 2 pay tax 4 pub sch.
B. Efforts to fix
1. State lev:
a. Charter School = type of public school:
- fund’g fr taxes
- compt w/ reg pub schls for Ss
- operate
+ under charter/contract
+ contract ( i.e. > indep)
• selectng Ts
• curric
• $$
- CSs-Stats
• 1st chart sch opened t/w the end of the 1980s
• AY 1999/2000  2009/10 # Ss  fr 0,3M – 1,6M (4X )
• AY 2009/10 CSs = 5%
- effective ?? - studies mixed
- Critics fear CSs mngd by priv comp’s w/ intrust in $$ not edu
b. The school voucher
- Basic idea: Par choose sch 4 chil (pub/ priv)  that sch receive
a set amount of money per student
- Vou sch usu = priv sch usu. affiliated with religious organizations
- Sch vou concept > controversial w. both support & oppose
2. Nat lev:
a. Edu bill NCLB (‘No Child Left Behind’)
- Sta & impl test prog & oth sys  ensure adequate Widely
criticized 4 many reas.
B. Common Core State Standards (CCSS)
- Establ clear goals  Ss prepared 4 success
- Aim to provide students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed